THE GLORIOUS GARDENS AT THE DUKE MANSION Explore

Built in 1915, The Duke Mansion exemplifies Southern charm wrapped in modern luxury and superior service. It’s the perfect spot for an overnight retreat, a weekend getaway or a special event. It’s also home to one of the most gorgeous public gardens in Charlotte, nestled in the heart of the Queen City.

Come stroll the grounds and witness the splendor of the Mary D.B.T. Semans Gardens, stretching out over 4.5 acres and changing with every season. This spring, you’ll find such beauties as tulips, daffodils, hyacinth, azaleas, flowering cherry trees, dogwoods and spring bulbs bursting with blooms.

Enjoy a picnic in the Dargan Spring Meadow, where lush, green grass is surrounded by graceful Japanese maples, a towering Tulip Poplar and hydrangeas in shades of blue and lavender. Or relax in the Reading and Pollinator Garden, the newest “room” of the garden installed in 2019. Alongside a bubbling fountain, palm trees, Loquat and mostly native flowering plants and shrubs invite butterflies, bees and birds.

The Mansion’s long, winding mulch paths promise surprises around every corner, and its open spaces offer stunning views — filled with layers of texture and color — all around. Beautiful stone hardscapes are ideal for entertaining, and serene, manicured spaces allow for idyllic, intimate moments.

We invite you to appreciate the beauty and splendor of The Duke Mansion — both inside and out — this spring.

MARCH 8–22, 2023

Experience why Charlotte is in the national spotlight as a culinary destination. This is your o cial invitation to Savor Charlotte, a two-week celebration of the chefs, mixologists and culinary community who define the flavor of the Queen City. From March 8-22, discover can’t miss hands-on classes and demonstrations from industry trendsetters, exclusive menus from tastemakers and special o ers from top restauranteurs. This is the story of Charlotte told by the culinary artists who call the Queen City home. Plan your visit at savorcharlotte.com

When it comes to travel, I’m a starry-eyed dreamer. My tiny personal Instagram feed is filled with travel inspo – from rustic Airbnbs to awe-inspiring national parks to bucket-list destinations around the world (see page 114). After a few quiet years hunkered at home, I’m not alone. In January, a local travel planner suggested adding at least $1,000 (!) to your trip budget this year as pent-up demand, among other factors, is driving up rates across the board. Planning in advance has never been so important.

I realize I’ll probably never make it to many of the droolworthy destinations on my feed. And that’s OK, according to contributor Krisha Chachra. “Your body does not know the difference between an overwater bungalow in Bora Bora and a cabin in the North Carolina mountains,” Krisha writes. When I met Krisha for coffee to discuss her idea for an essay about the link between travel and mental well-being, she described friends –mostly moms – who were stressed to the nines over planning the “perfect” family vacation. A First-World problem, for sure, but still, it was so relatable. A longtime travel writer who has visited more than 50 countries, Krisha knows quite a bit about the subject. You can read her essay on page 111.

Also in this issue, Whitley Adkins and Richard Israel take us on a photographic journey of the rural back roads leading to the coast. How many of us have repeatedly traveled a certain route, always wanting to know more about the people and places along the way? But always in a hurry to get “there,” wherever the destination, we rarely take the time to really examine that beautiful old building that catches our eye each time we pass or learn who’s behind the counter at that roadside cafe. This time around, the journey is the destination.

March is also showtime for college hoops, and my colleague and fellow Tar Heel Sharon Smith shares a fun (and funny) story about her husband’s old-school bracket pool on page 48. I knew Colin was a dinosaur when Sharon told me he doesn’t own a cell phone. But his bracket pool — which requires submissions via mail, hand delivery or fax — is next level. Happy spring, safe travels, and go Heels!

Cathy Martin Editor

editor@southparkmagazine.com

IN THIS ISSUE:

1- The iconic Providenciales restaurant Da Conch Shack (page 114)

2 – Photographer Richard Israel at Salters Depot in Williamsburg County, S.C. (page 100)

3 - Forget uploading: Assistant Editor Sharon Smith’s husband heads up an NCAA pool that still requires mail, hand delivery or fax (page 48).

4 – Contributor Krisha Chachra writes about viewing travel not as a luxury, but a necessity (page 111)

5 - Whitley Adkins, Alissia Matthews, Zenobia Harper and Jacqueline Williams at the Rice Museum in Georgetown, S.C. (page 100)